Machine quilt templates
 

Has anyone used the templates that say no longarm needed. Nancy's Notions as a starter set for $119. I would really like to have them but looking for some reviews.
Thanks,
Evelyn
Elk Wa

Here are some customer reviews on that set.
http://www.nancysnotions.com/product...mplate+set.do#

There is a total of 18 customer review that might help you. Just click on the little tab that says "customer reviews". Thanks for asking the question as I might look in to
using something like that instead of templates that you trace around.

I bought the starter set direct from Westlee, I have a vintage Singer, and even though the website listed my machine as compatable, it wasn't.

The foot sat flush on the machine so tight I couldn't even move a single sheet of paper around under it, much less a sandwiched quilt.

I have looked at them and am afraid to buy them.. I think you would still need some great skills to use them... and I don't have that great of skills :)

I have quite a few rulers...you need to get a ruler foot that fits your machine..low shank,high shank etc. It looks much easier to do when you look at the sew easy website or YouTube. Like any other new skill,there is a learning curve. I have used rulers to quilt several quilts and been quite pleased as the stitching is smoother than if I just FMQ without them.

I have the Westalee Ruler foot with 9 different templates, and have had a lot of fun with them. I made a sampler to help sell them at the store where I work, and have been teaching classes with them. Here's a picture of my sampler. I hope the stitching will show up OK.

Also wanted to add that when you buy the Westalee templates from your LQS, the retail on them is $75 for the foot with 2 templates, and $75 for the starter set that has 6 templates. Plus there are 2 catalogs full of different templates you can buy separately.

If you know a woodworker that owns a scrollsaw, they can easily make you all the templates you want. Plexiglass is cheap at big box stores like Lowes, Home depot, etc...it's just the pattern you want...I have a ton that my neighbor me, I paid less than 20 dollars for the plexiglass, and drew what I wanted with marker..he cut them out.

The joy of the westalee templates and also some ( but not all) of the other commercially available ones is that they have markings etched on them at various angles to help with placement, which is necessary when you are doing some of the more complex designs and also having those markings means you can eliminate some or even all of the marking you would otherwise need to do on your quilt top. You can do many different things with most of the rulers.

Someone had mentioned that they think the rulers/ templates would be difficult to handle, but I have not found that to be the case. I put some stuff on the ruler to help it grip the fabric and slide the ruler along the ruler foot, the ruler moves the fabric, just as my gloved hand would if I was FMQ without the ruler.

Rob

After a lot of thought, I bought the rulers. They are great, and like a lot of quilting "tricks" take a lot of practice. They are fun and very helpful to quilt on your home machine. I love them and will continue to practice with them. The things you can do with them have no limits, and I am only a beginner. You won't be sorry if you get them. imho
Sue